New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:28 am

I went out yesterday AM and cut a fresh track that I felt pretty sure was a buck. Tracked him in about 20 inches of powder moving only when the wind blew to cover my sound. After about an hour I came into a little spruce and alder thicket and saw him standing broadside at about 50 yards or so. His head was behind a small spruce sapling, so he had no idea I was there. I lowered to one knee, cocked the hammer, and let him have it. He kind of hunkered off with his tail down. Good hit! After reloading I walked over to where he was standing and all of a sudden I see him to my right at 14 yards or so. He ran off. I gave him 20 minutes or so and then followed his trail just a bit and I could see that he was bleeding dark red blood...but not much. I decided to back out and go back home and give him some time. That was about 10:00.

I was pretty sure it was a solid liver shot, which is always fatal. I waited until 2:30 and headed back out and got on his trail. He made about 6 or 7 beds in about 50 yards or so, and every bed was bloodier than the one before. He also started bleeding just a ton, pouring blood from both sides. I knew this guy was going to be dead. I eventually snuck to within 3 yards of him...I thought he was dead in his bed. Turns out he looked at me from his bed and got up weakly. I finished him off and that was that. I feel bad that it wasn't a nice clean kill, but at least I got him. My big fear was losing him overnight to more snow or coyotes

He's a nice little 9 pointer. I'm guessing he weighs between 140 and 150. Took me an hour and 45 minutes to drag him back in the dark...but boy what a way to end my deer season.

Happy New Year to everybody.Blair

Last edited by Bigschuss on Tue Jan 01, 2013 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am

Congrats Blair !!Great story.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:22 am

Nice deer Blair, you have one of the nicest areas in this state to hunt. I know like any good hunter ou put a lot of effort into your pre season scouting and glad it paid off for you.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:46 am

There's nothing more rewarding than taking a nice buck while still hunting or tracking. Congratulations on a fine late season buck. Thanks for sharing.

Today is the last day of bow season here in Michigan. I went out this morning for a couple of hours and saw nothing but tracks. Oh well, time to start preparing for next year.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:23 am

Nice buck, Blair.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:57 am

Really nice Blair, Congrats. By the sounds of things you were Black Powder hunting. I've ground shot a few, even with a bow but never tried stalking them like that. Hardly ever any snow here anymore like the old days. I remember traditional BP hunting back in the mid 80's when it was close to -25 below... We were young and a lot hungrier back then.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:36 pm

Nice buck, Blair. That will get the old heart a pumping

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:58 pm

Thanks for the warm compliments guys!

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:00 pm

Yogie wrote:Really nice Blair, Congrats. By the sounds of things you were Black Powder hunting. I've ground shot a few, even with a bow but never tried stalking them like that. Hardly ever any snow here anymore like the old days. I remember traditional BP hunting back in the mid 80's when it was close to -25 below... We were young and a lot hungrier back then.

Hello Yogie...yes black powder. For some reason all my pics I post on the forum lately get cut off? I have the muzzleloader in my left hand but it's getting chopped off. What am I doing wrong?

Blair

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:46 pm

Bigschuss wrote:For some reason all my pics I post on the forum lately get cut off? I have the muzzleloader in my left hand but it's getting chopped off. What am I doing wrong?

Blair,Your picture is all there. It is being chopped off on your display. Your picture is pretty big -- 1024 pixels across. A somewhat smaller picture would display on more systems without being chopped off. If your screen is large enough, enlarging your browser window would let you see the whole picture.

Re: New Year's Eve Buck

Tue Jan 01, 2013 2:40 pm

Jim Becker wrote:

Bigschuss wrote:For some reason all my pics I post on the forum lately get cut off? I have the muzzleloader in my left hand but it's getting chopped off. What am I doing wrong?

Blair,Your picture is all there. It is being chopped off on your display. Your picture is pretty big -- 1024 pixels across. A somewhat smaller picture would display on more systems without being chopped off. If your screen is large enough, enlarging your browser window would let you see the whole picture.

Thanks Jim. I see what's going on. I just edited out a small version of the pic.